Deplorable rented crowd of right-wing organisations against employees of Tshwane

26 September 2023

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in Gauteng has noted with concern the deplorable attitude by the rented crowd from right-wing organisations which, together with the mayor of the City of Tshwane, are ganging up against the city’s employees. The mayor should understand that AFRI-FORUM’s threats to the South African Municipal Workers’ Union(SAMWU) are nothing but a true reflection of the mayor who thinks that renting a crowd based on racial lines would deter workers from demanding what is due to them.

The City of Tshwane entered into a collective agreement with workers and are reneging from the implementation of this agreement. The City went to the Bargaining Council to seek exemption from the implementation of this agreement but were not successful twice. The process at the Bargaining Council includes the presentation of the financial statements which the City did but failed dismally to convince the council. COSATU has been on record requesting the city to return to the bargaining council to share ideas on how to address the current impasse. Unfortunately, the mayor of the City of Tshwane wants to play hero at the expense of the residence of Tshwane and workers.

Mayor Brink has been on record saying that he wants to save the City from financial collapse like municipalities in the Free State where COSATU launched a campaign. The mayor continued to say that the situation in the Free State was due to corruption. Whilst we agree with the mayor saving the City from financial collapse, maybe Mr Brink should start by telling South Africa what happened to the R10 billion plus that the City is unable to account for.

The rent a crowd of right-wing organisations by the DA led coalition in City of Tshwane and the self-proclaimed heroic mayor should be held accountable for general lack of service delivery that was not caused by employees but the incompetency of the current City administration. The working-class areas have been neglected by the city since taking over power in 2016. If the rented crowd led by Afri-Forum wants to hold someone accountable, the mayor of the City is the right person. Unfortunately, they chose to shift accountability from the mayor and target workers.

To sum-up the unfortunate position by Afri-Forum, COSATU in Gauteng is vindicated that this right-wing organisation is racially motivated and does not have a space in our democracy. Where is their voice on poor service delivery in working-class areas as a result of incompetence by the DA led coalition in the city?

COSATU reiterates its position that the city should go back to the bargaining council to seek a collective solution to the impasse rather than spending money they claim to not have for lawyers.

Issued by Louisah Modikwe, Provincial Secretary, COSATU Gauteng, 26 September 2023